This invention relates to surgical apparatus and, more particularly, to a suture needle holder that has rollers to grasp the needle tip to rotate the needle into position for the next stitch, and the like.
Suturing incisions and wounds is a demanding surgical skill. As practiced, a curved suture needle is mounted in a simple holder that is held in the surgeon's right hand. To complete a stitch, frequently the needle is grasped with forceps that are held in the surgeon's left hand and tip of the needle is released from the needle holder. The holder then grasps the back end of the suture needle in order to press the needle through and complete the stitch.
Clearly, this technique requires the surgeon to use both hands in order to suture a wound or incision. The manipulations are cumbersome, tedious and time consuming. Unquestionably, there is a need for some technique that would not require the surgeon to use both hands to complete a single stitch and that would take less time and physical stress.